The Most Beautiful Swiss Books 2015: Image from catalogue. Photography Mathilde Agius, art direction and design Mathias Clottu
An exhibition of the aptly titled Have You Ever Kissed a Book? The Most Beautiful Swiss Books 2015 opens this evening at 6.30pm and will run until 14th January 2017 at the Umlaut space in London. An exhibit of the awarded books from last year has been organised by designer Mathias Clottu, as well as an installation “collaboratively created with London-based architects Apparata – Nicholas Lobo Brennan and Astrid Smitham”.
In addition to being a rare opportunity to witness some of the most beguiling books by Swiss designers the exhibition includes, “an evening of informal conversations” with a range of industry intellects that is not to be missed. During the evening on 8th December, “Artists, publishers and designers will discuss three awarded books in light of the question posted to the jury: have you ever kissed a book?”
The evening will also include a talk by curator Jenny Jaskey and designer John Morgan on new magazine Pierre’s, the second issue of Carolee’s will be presented, and writer Annebella Pollen, designer Roland Brauchli will be discussing their collaboration with Conor Donlon on The Kindred of Kibbo Kift: Intellectual Barabarians and Artist Christian Marclay and designer Laurent Benner, will present their new book Liquids, published by White Cube. As if all this wasn’t already a publication dream of an evening the conversations will be moderated by Nicole Udry, the coordinator of the competition for the Swiss Federal Office of Culture.
The Most Beautiful Swiss Books competition was originally established in 1943 “to promote and reward the finest book design in Switzerland” by typographer and designer Jan Tschichold.
The Most Beautiful Swiss Books 2015: Image from catalogue. Photography Mathilde Agius, art direction and design Mathias Clottu
The Most Beautiful Swiss Books 2015: Image from catalogue. Photography Mathilde Agius, art direction and design Mathias Clottu
The Most Beautiful Swiss Books Exhibition 2016: The Niche, an installation by Apparata / Nicholas Lobo Brennan and Astrid Smitham
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Lucy (she/her) was part of the It’s Nice That team from 2016–2025, first joining as a staff writer after graduating from Chelsea College of Art with a degree in Graphic Design Communication, eventually becoming a senior editor on our editorial team, and most recently at Insights, a research-driven department with It’s Nice That.